The Venezuelan second baseman Gleyber Torres signed on Friday a contract with the Detroit Tigers for $15 million and one year, to leave the team that formed him as a professional player, the New York Yankees.
Torres, who in the 2024 season finished with a .257 batting average, 15 home runs and 63 RBIs, posted a video on his Instagram account showing all the unforgettable moments he experienced as a player with the Bronx Bombers, along with a message dedicated to the organization, his teammates, the coaches and the New York fans.
“Thank you. The Yankees have been my family since 2016. A simple kid from Venezuela with big aspirations to play in the most epic city in the world, the Yankees gave me all the love and support I needed to achieve my childhood dream. Wearing the pinstripe uniform. It was an honor for me and my family,” Torres said in the post.
Although the Yankees have not won an MLB title since 2009, they did return to a World Series since then, although it ended with a disappointing performance by the Yankees after losing in five games to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
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Torres and the experience Detroit needed
Torres’ arrival in Detroit gives the team a player with the necessary experience when it comes to hitting and playing defense in pressure situations, and it is said that the Tigers are now looking for a third baseman with the same characteristics as the Venezuelan.
Detroit is considering signing third baseman Alex Bregman this winter, after the 30-year-old had a good season with the Houston Astros, finishing last season with a .260 batting average, 36 home runs and 75 runs batted in for a team that won the American League West.
In addition, Bregman comes from winning the Gold Glove, the first of his career, in addition to having great experience on offense and after winning two World Series.